Voters Not Politicians to rally outside state Supreme Court
Volunteers, leadership, and partners of Voters Not Politicians, the nonpartisan, grassroots campaign to end gerrymandering by establishing an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, will gather Wednesday morning, July 18, at the Michigan Hall of Justice during the Supreme Court hearing on whether to keep the proposal to end partisan gerrymandering on the ballot.
The Michigan Court of Appeals issued an order saying a complaint by pro-gerrymandering supporters “Citizens Protecting the Michigan Constitution” was “without merit” and directed the board “to take the necessary steps to place the proposal on the ballot for the general election.” The Michigan Supreme Court will hear CPMC’s appeal of the Court of Appeals order.
Voters Not Politicians volunteers, supporters, and partners will be in the courtroom as well as outside of the Hall of Justice for a “Let the People Vote!” rally to encourage the Supreme Court to uphold the right of citizens to amend the state Constitution through the ballot initiative process, according to Katie Fahey, founder and executive director of the organization.
The campaign submitted more than 425,000 signatures collected by 5,000 volunteers in 110 days representing each of Michigan’s 83 counties to the Bureau of Elections. The Board of State Canvassers voted 3-0 to certify the signatures and place the proposal on the November ballot.
A live stream of the rally will be available on the Voters Not Politicians Facebook Page.
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Man gets 40-60 years in prison for 2 Michigan slayings
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (AP) — A man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and her father in southwestern Michigan in 2016 has been sentenced to 40 to 60 years in prison.
Twenty-six-year-old Alex Perez was given his punishment Monday after earlier pleading no contest but mentally ill to two counts of second-degree murder in an agreement with prosecutors. He was charged in the deaths of 27-year-old Renee Mitchell and her father, 67-year-old John Mitchell, near Coloma.
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U.S., Michigan will try to settle lawsuit over prison guards
DETROIT (AP) — A judge has agreed to a 90-day timeout in a lawsuit that accuses the Michigan Corrections Department of violating the rights of female prison guards.
The U.S. Justice Department and the state will use the time to try to reach a settlement. Federal Judge Paul Borman signed the order Thursday.
The government sued in 2016, saying female guards were being forced to work overtime at the Huron Valley women’s prison in Washtenaw County.
The guards say it’s also difficult to transfer because the Corrections Department won’t let male guards fill certain jobs.
When the lawsuit was filed, the Justice Department said employers can’t lock workers in or out of a job because of their sex.
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